Results, re-sits and appeals
ELPAC is designed so that your result is normally available very quickly after you complete the test. This page explains how test results are reported, what happens if you want to re-sit, and how appeals work.
Immediate result
Paper 2 is a live speaking test rated by two accredited assessors: an English Language Expert (ELE) and an Operational Expert (OPE), an operational or former air traffic controller or pilot. Each assessor independently applies the ELPAC assessment criteria, which derive from the ICAO rating scale and the holistic descriptors. The ICAO level awarded is the lowest of the six criteria; there is no compensatory marking. Where the two assessors disagree on the outcome, a third assessor decides. Because both assessors rate live, the overall ICAO level is normally available very quickly after Paper 2.
How the level is reported
Each of the six ICAO criteria is rated independently. The overall ICAO level is the lowest of the six criteria, with no compensatory marking. Your user organisation issues the official report to you and may also inform the relevant licensing authority.
Third Assessor
Where the OPE and ELE disagree on the outcome, or where a test taker formally appeals a result, the recording of Paper 2 is reviewed by an independent Third Assessor. The Third Assessor's decision is final.
Appeals
If external factors such as noise or distractions prevented you from demonstrating your actual English language proficiency, or if you believe the test was not administered according to ELPAC guidelines, you may submit an appeal to the ELPAC test centre.
2026 score distribution (snapshot)
Final ICAO level on completed ELPAC tests in 2026 to date, split by test taker group. Figures are an anonymous aggregate averaged across all ELPAC user organisations worldwide, with no location, organisation or personal information.
Air traffic controllers
n = 767Flight crew
n = 703Source: ELPAC operational data, January–June 2026 (as of 15 June 2026). Updated periodically. See the validity argument for how ELPAC scores are interpreted.
Validity of ELPAC scores
ELPAC results are reported on the ICAO language proficiency rating scale and are designed to warrant licensing decisions. The full validity argument explains how the evidence supports that use.